Reasonable time to wait for Doctors appointment

Reasonable time to wait for Doctors appointment

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Discussion

Blaster72

Original Poster:

10,772 posts

196 months

Wednesday 20th April 2016
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I've booked to see my Doctor as I'm having a little nerve pain in one buttock sometimes when my bladder is full.

My Dr is booked up solid, the next available Doctors appointment was 12th May 16' when I called up today.

Like most chaps, I'm allergic to Doctors and hospitals so I have no idea if this is normal to have to wait 3 weeks to see a GP? Seems like a long time to wait to me.

Merc 450

921 posts

98 months

Wednesday 20th April 2016
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I rang up on the 28th february my appointment is 28th april (7 weeks)

Stupeo

1,343 posts

192 months

Wednesday 20th April 2016
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For a non-emergency, seems reasonable.

The longest I've had to wait with my GP is 2.5 weeks, but usually, it's within a week.


Blaster72

Original Poster:

10,772 posts

196 months

Wednesday 20th April 2016
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Thanks lads, I'm hoping it'll clear up before the 3 weeks are up anyway but can't hurt to get things checked over.

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

144 months

Thursday 21st April 2016
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Can generally get to see one same day at my surgery provided it warrants it.

Routine stuff can be 2-3 weeks.

944fan

4,962 posts

184 months

Friday 22nd April 2016
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Christ I went on line this morning and have an appointment this afternoon at 16:40. Admitidley I just go and see which ever Dr is free rather than the same one each time. The Dr I am seeing this afternoon is a partner and not a loucm as well.

Merc 450

921 posts

98 months

Friday 22nd April 2016
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944fan said:
Christ I went on line this morning and have an appointment this afternoon at 16:40. Admitidley I just go and see which ever Dr is free rather than the same one each time. The Dr I am seeing this afternoon is a partner and not a loucm as well.
Mine was 7 weeks because i needed an evening appointment (1930)

zeDuffMan

4,054 posts

150 months

Friday 22nd April 2016
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The average time varies a lot by location.

Expect it to get worse!

jurbie

2,339 posts

200 months

Friday 22nd April 2016
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I visited mine a couple of weeks ago I had to arrange it about a week in advance although if it's serious they do advise to ring at 8am and they'll try and squeeze you in. The thing is I turned up for my 08:30 appointment and was the only person in the waiting room and I still had to wait 15 minutes before the doctor decided he was ready to see me. I went this morning for a follow up and it was exactly the same, just me and a 15 minute wait to see him so clearly not that busy.

Crush

15,077 posts

168 months

Friday 22nd April 2016
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5 week wait here.

JumboBeef

3,772 posts

176 months

Saturday 23rd April 2016
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A little tip for all of you who can't get an appointment:

Ring 111 and get assessed. If they agree you need to see your own GP, they will message them and then you can call your surgery yourself and say '111 say I need to see a GP today/tomorrow' and they have to find you that appointment.

hidetheelephants

23,772 posts

192 months

Saturday 23rd April 2016
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Having to wait seven weeks is a crock; is there a walk-in non-emergency clinic anywhere near you? Quite a few A+Es have them right next door.

condor

8,837 posts

247 months

Saturday 23rd April 2016
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We have to ring our surgery at 0800 and then we can be seen between 0830-1045 that day. There is a limit to how many patients will be seen, but the few times I missed out on a morning visit I was given an afternoon appointment or telephone consultation.

944fan

4,962 posts

184 months

Sunday 24th April 2016
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condor said:
We have to ring our surgery at 0800 and then we can be seen between 0830-1045 that day. There is a limit to how many patients will be seen, but the few times I missed out on a morning visit I was given an afternoon appointment or telephone consultation.
Yeah ours is the same set up. But there are a couple of tricks we have found. Firstly the surgery is 2 mins walk from my house, so queuing up outside before it opens get you first access to the appointments. Few people have clocked this so you have to get there about 7:40 if you want to be first.

Using the online booking is the best thing though. Sometimes a few appointments get released when the surgery closes the day before. The main bulk of the appointments go on at least 2-3 minutes before the lines open at 8. No one else seems to use it hardly (certainly not problems accessing it).


condor

8,837 posts

247 months

Sunday 24th April 2016
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I turned up to ours just before 8am in person a few years ago and was told I still had to phone in - used mobile and got through straight away as they could see I was in need. Think the receptionist had to follow the surgery rules.

Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Sunday 24th April 2016
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jurbie said:
I visited mine a couple of weeks ago I had to arrange it about a week in advance although if it's serious they do advise to ring at 8am and they'll try and squeeze you in. The thing is I turned up for my 08:30 appointment and was the only person in the waiting room and I still had to wait 15 minutes before the doctor decided he was ready to see me. I went this morning for a follow up and it was exactly the same, just me and a 15 minute wait to see him so clearly not that busy.
Doctors don't just sit there waiting for patients to turn up:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=opera&q...

meddyg

70 posts

152 months

Sunday 24th April 2016
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jurbie said:
I visited mine a couple of weeks ago I had to arrange it about a week in advance although if it's serious they do advise to ring at 8am and they'll try and squeeze you in. The thing is I turned up for my 08:30 appointment and was the only person in the waiting room and I still had to wait 15 minutes before the doctor decided he was ready to see me. I went this morning for a follow up and it was exactly the same, just me and a 15 minute wait to see him so clearly not that busy.
Shh.... We're trying to keep it a secret!!

meddyg

70 posts

152 months

Sunday 24th April 2016
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Unfortunately this is a problem that is only likely to get worse

The main culprit is increasing demand. We see increasing numbers of patients wanting to see their doctor before trying simple self management for minor ailments. In addition, there is increasing demand to be seen NOW for problems that have been present for weeks if not months. On top of this, prominent public health campaigns educating the masses on the presenting symptoms for serious conditions, whilst being a good thing, further increases demand.

To top this off, the funding for GP is steadily falling, good GPs are hard to recruit, and there is more and more administrative work thrown in.

It's safe to say that the morale of most GPs is at a low point currently, and it doesn't help having the ignorant assuming we are not busy, when this couldn't be further from the truth.

There appears to be only two solutions, either more funding - for more appointments, or people's expectations need to change. Personally, I can't see either happening any time soon!





Edited by meddyg on Sunday 24th April 21:59

944fan

4,962 posts

184 months

Monday 25th April 2016
quotequote all
meddyg said:
Unfortunately this is a problem that is only likely to get worse

The main culprit is increasing demand. We see increasing numbers of patients wanting to see their doctor before trying simple self management for minor ailments. In addition, there is increasing demand to be seen NOW for problems that have been present for weeks if not months. On top of this, prominent public health campaigns educating the masses on the presenting symptoms for serious conditions, whilst being a good thing, further increases demand.

To top this off, the funding for GP is steadily falling, good GPs are hard to recruit, and there is more and more administrative work thrown in.

It's safe to say that the morale of most GPs is at a low point currently, and it doesn't help having the ignorant assuming we are not busy, when this couldn't be further from the truth.

There appears to be only two solutions, either more funding - for more appointments, or people's expectations need to change. Personally, I can't see either happening any time soon!





Edited by meddyg on Sunday 24th April 21:59
I don't disagree per se, but also I have seen some very poor management and appointment arrangements at some GPs. You mention people being seen now for long running symptoms. For quite a while the only way to get an appointment at my GP was to phone on the morning and take an appointment that day. Not really urgent but you had no choice. Now the let you book non urgent appointments a couple of weeks in advance.

More funding is needed, a lot more. I can't imagine why anyone would want to become a Dr these days. Seems like a thankless task and they all seem stressed and stretched when you do see them.

Orchid1

877 posts

107 months

Monday 25th April 2016
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944fan said:
I don't disagree per se, but also I have seen some very poor management and appointment arrangements at some GPs. You mention people being seen now for long running symptoms. For quite a while the only way to get an appointment at my GP was to phone on the morning and take an appointment that day. Not really urgent but you had no choice. Now the let you book non urgent appointments a couple of weeks in advance.

More funding is needed, a lot more. I can't imagine why anyone would want to become a Dr these days. Seems like a thankless task and they all seem stressed and stretched when you do see them.
It sounds cruel I know but a lot of the time GP surgeries are just clogged up with older people who demand to be seen straight away and given every antibiotic under the sun because they sneezed a couple of times in a row the previous day.